User Reviews for Pristiq (Page 3)

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User Ratings

Pristiq Rating Summary

7.3/10Average Rating

595 Ratings with 572 User Reviews

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Reviews for Pristiq to treat Depression

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"I was experiencing headaches, like by brain was wound tight w a Rubberband, didn't want to get our of bed, no reason to... my dr prescribed pristiq. It has been a life changer... head feels much better, depression is gone, life is happy again.... side effects are flu like symptoms, crashing, if I miss a dose. I take a .25 mg. I ha e tried to come off before and experienced severe headaches and flue like symptoms, and severe body aches.. so I got back on... it is expensive but I buy a 90 day generic supply thru Canadian pharmacy for 120.00. Ins doesnt pay due to out of the country but it is still less than what I wld have to pay in the us.."

"I started taking Prisiq three weeks ago. Everything was going fine... no side effects. I decided to sit outside to get a little color before going to Florida. I sat outside for a half hour and I got a blistering sunburn!! I had a mild spf on my face from my lotion. DO NOT SIT IN THE SUN OR BE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT IF TAKING THIS MEDICATION. WEAR LONG SLEEVES, HAT, SUNGLASSES!! WEAR AT LEAST SPF 30!! I decided to go off the medication because I was leaving for Florida and enjoy the beach and swimming! Went off without a taper and was fine, just a few brain zaps!! 3 days later feeling great being off it but still dealing with a bad sunburn now in Florida! I wish I knew. PLEASE DONT GO IN THE SUN IF TAKING THIS MEDICATION!!"

"It worked for the first 6 months, but now I can't stay awake or do anything productive, and if I miss a dose I get brain shocks and debilitating migraines, so I'm weaning off it with help from the doc"

"I used Pristiq for 8 days but couldn't tolerate the side effects. I was warned by my psychiatrist that the side effects could take 2-3 weeks, however, I couldn't afford to wait much. The side effects include: feeling thirsty, having thoughts of going mad, fear, palpitations, heat (had to be in a cold room or otherwise I'll feel anxious), heightened anger, panic attacks.
The first few days of use were fine, but I had to discontinue because my work and social life suffered."

"Absolutely no side effects. I lost weight on this medication, however if you do not want to lose weight, talk to your psychiatrist and they can prescribe medications that can help you gain weight if you are underweight.
This medication worked perfectly on my depression and I have not relapsed since I was weaned off it. No sexual side effects, it actually helped my sex life I am so happy I tried it."

"Just over a month a go I went to see my GP after several weeks of battling my old foe the old black dog was not only back he was barking loudly.
I was I admit surprised that my GP who I have only known for three years and who hasn’t previously seen me depressed spotted my change in mood before I had had chance to tell him how I was feeling. I walked out holding a script for a new drug Pristiq and began the medication the following day. My next appointment to see how I was coping was for last Monday. One of the side effects of Pristiq is according to the warning sheet my pharmacist gave me was hyper-wakefulness. Needless to say I had a paradoxical effect I have spent a month falling a sleep during the day. Later sleeping eight to ten hours at night. Due to the most awful pharmaceutical hangovers I needed to get up at 6 am in order to be in a fit state to drive by 7.30. My doctor found this interesting but urged me to continue taking the drug as he felt sure it would help my illness saying I needed to be on it for twelve months.
However, in the past seven nights things have gone from bad to worse. Every night has been disturbed by the most frightful nightmares. Night sweats and terror on waking from the most vivid of horrors. On Friday night I lay awake forcing myself to stay awake, I was far too frightened of returning into this new nightmare world to sleep. My fearful dreams kept me from my bed the following night for several hours I finally went to bed in the early hours I slept fitfully my dreams were again frightening to say the very least luckily I can’t recall them in detail by midmorning.
It was on Saturday that I decided that enough is enough depression is more than sufficient without entering a nocturnal world of fear and torment. While I was only on Pristiq for five weeks it was five weeks I’m not about to forget any day soon.
When the treatment is worse than the illness it is time to stop; take stock and in my case back away. I know that I most probably should have spoken to my doctor but it was Easter and I couldn’t see him so I made my own decision. Now only time will tell if my decision was the right one.
But one thing I do know is as a drug Pristiq is not for me. Even at its loudest a barking black dog is less scary than a night on Pristiq."

"What they didn't tell me is how dependent you get on it. It started off I could miss a few days and not feel anything. Then I would feel it if I missed one or 2 days but I would just be a little more down. Now if I miss a day I can't function and if I miss 2 it gets really scary. It's only happened once or twice while I've been on it but by the second or third day missed I am not myself. I'm anxious, my jaw hurts, I can't sleep, crying fits are common, vomiting and headaches are constant. During this time there are stages that are worse than other but 'brain zaps' and dizziness are common. I've also seen and heard things and overall it feels like you are high and is the most awful thing I've ever experienced. It's made the med not worth it."

"I have taken this medicine for 8 months ish, at first i felt no difference but at around 3 months I also started lifting weights and dieting. I think that if I had only worked out I wouldnt have felt and different but because of the pristiq I feel much better"

"I was prescribed this drug for some stress and anxiety experienced due to some work life balance issues. I took it for 5 days only. By day 3 i could not stay awake or focus and let alone feel OK to drive. I felt sick and had excessive sweats. Constipated and headaches, i stopped on day 5. Day 6 and 7 symptoms continued with lots of nightmare and night sweats and shakes. never again."

"I began taking Pristiq in 2008 as a supplement to Wellbutrin. When I missed dose I became very ill with flu-like symptoms so severe, I felt it was not safe for me to drive a car. This made me feel as though this drug was not good for me, so I finally took myself off of it in 2015. It took the entire month of July (I stopped Pristiq July 1st and nausea and dizziness did not end until early August- I kept track of my symptoms on a calendar) and as of today, the end of February 2016, my digestion has still not returned to normal. Pristiq was developed by the manufacturer to replace the profits from another popular drug that reached the generic zone. I consider it "bad drug.""

"on Prozac (Lovan) for 4 years, felt it was no longer helping and read about a type of antidepressant that targets your neorephrine (noradrenaline) re uptake, not just seratonin. mentioned it to doctor, he recommended Pristiq but I had to stop taking the Prozac for a month before starting Pristiq (hell.) Thought I made a terrible mistake as it didn't start working for at least 3 months. Difference is Prozac inhibits you from feeling emotions whereas Pristiq allows you to feel and be able to deal with them. No side effect but if I miss a dose in morning by lunchtime I'm so dizzy and lightheaded!"

"Fixed one problem, made another worse! My 14 years old child, has had seasonal depression and social anxiety. Her doctor said it would help with the anxiety too but it has left her always shaking uncontrollably and feeling more jittery and anxious than ever! It has helped the depression, she can go to school with a bit more ease and it'll keep her from throwing herself out a window. But her general ability to function is about the same because now she is too anxious instead of too sad."

"I have been on Pristiq for about a year now, and it is brilliant. Those who have only given it a few days need to give anti-depressants a few months for the drug to work properly, it doesn't metabolise like paracetamol or other common meds.
The best thing about going from escitalopram to this is that I have emotions now. The worst side-effect is dizziness, which isn't the same kind of dizziness that you have after you spin around or get up really quickly. I feel like the term "sparkly" is more appropriate, because it is quick to go up and down in severity. I feel like I also have a bit of photophobia with it too. Be careful with missing your medication, not taking it at the same time everyday and alcohol consumption."

"After struggling with depression for over ten years and trying over twenty different medications, I have finally found one that works. I have been on this medication for about four years and it has been life changing. I have had no side effects (which isn't common with these types of medications) The only 'negative' thing about this medication is that if you accidentally miss a dose you will get really bad side effects."

"I have been on Pristiq 5 days, the 1st day I felt great, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th, my last day as of yesterday has been pure hell. Nausea, constant headache, flu like symptoms, not being able to read the paper or anything, vision really messed up, hot & then cold, total confusion, can't remember something that happened an hour ago, my skin itches so bad it's red. I'm not going to take it ever again, I would rather be depressed, I will take my doctor back the samples he gave me tomorrow & let him know my problems with Pristiq. I know an antidepressant can take time to be effective but I don't want to risk anymore withdrawal symptoms than what I'm having after taking this just 5 days. I will never take it again."

"It's has only been day two for me and I will not be taking another one of these , side effects straight away , sick in the stomach , no appetite , massive headaches today ,no libido , horrible taste and to be honest all of these effects are bringing back my anxiety. My headache is not going away . I am going to choice nature tomorrow and get myself better the healthy safety way ."

"I had a horrible experience with this drug!! After 4 days of starting Pristiq I starting having massive anxiety and panic attacks!! I could not sleep for the life of me!! It felt like I had a constant rush of adrenaline!!! I had to be admitted to the psych ward because I went into psychosis. I stuck it out for three weeks hoping that I would find relief from my crippling depression. No!! I was more depressed, sleep deprived, constant panic. I knew the drug was causing more pain than I started off with. Every drug is different. Writing this in case someone else is having the same experience. Was switched to amitrypraline and am starting to see small improvements. If you are having horrible side effects tell your doc!!! Wishing you the Best!"

"With peri menopause leading to menopause...came an overwhelming sadness, emotional ups and downs, anger, the black dog visited often for no apparent reason. After seeing doctor who offered blood tests acknowledged menopause was occurring, he prescribed pristiq 50 mg. one a day. I had negative pre conceived ideas about taking anti depressants due to incorrect information but thought I'd give it a try. It's now nearly three years since I began treatment....yes ...they work....side effects :can numb emotions, but not to the point that I can't feel..loss of libido..that's a small price to pay compared to how I felt when the black dog visited. I tried to stop taking pristiq only to have old symptoms return"

"27, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression about 18 months ago. My doctor started me on 50mg of sertraline and it had no effect so bumped me up to 100mg and I absolutely hated life! My panic attacks worsened my mood was unbearble, I always felt tired and nauseous which all affected my ability to work. I had enough so I stopped but then needed to go back to the doctor to try a different medication which he prescribed me pristiq. I feel absolutely amazing! My anxiety has gone and the depression side of things is a thing of the past! I have been nauseas once or twice since being on it (3 months) but that is nothing compared to the other medication I was on :)"

"This medication has been a lifesaver! I have been on it for almost 3 weeks and I am amazed at how much better I feel. I suffered a breakdown just after Thanksgiving and continued to be an utter disaster for a few weeks...I entered a PHP program where the Psych suggested Pristiq, something I had been asking my Primary Psych for months! After about 4-5 days, I began to feel somewhat whole again and I'm getting better each day. I still have my ups and downs but I'm now able to get out of bed and shower everyday! The only reason I did not give a 10 is because of some undesirable side effects such as, nausea and very dry mouth. I am told that by 4-6 weeks this should go away."

"18 years. I switched to pristiq after paxil and Wellbutrin. I took a gene sight test that predicted me to have the least amount of side affects with pristiq (which I highly recommend). I had almost no side effects. After the pristiq started to kick in I felt alright, not too great or severely depressed. I did feel well enough to go to school (I couldn't on Paxil). However after about a month I noticed a shift; I felt a lot better than usual at times and at others I felt depressed. I also have had racing thoughts and mood swings become more common. I became worried I had bi polar disorder. I told my psychiatrist this and he believed it was coming from pristiq. Coming off has been a hard. My mind has been in a fog, hot flashes, flu like symptoms"

"I have been on Prestiq for ages, it did not work for me I felt continuously nauseated I became numb of all feeling and lost who I was along the way. In December 2015 I had unrelenting vomiting, this included vomiting back all medication. After 10 days I was a screaming heap, went to the Dr who prescribe Maxalon for the vomiting, this didn't work so back I went this time Stemetil, still vomiting by now off Prestiq felt awful for ages. Gradually I noticed although still feeling nauseated was not as cranky irritable and stressed. I am still struggling with the withdrawal symptoms however, I am coping better without the medication than I thought possible. Why is it Dr's do not listen to you when you are on medication for depression?"